When fighters are given their discharge from a significant North American MMA advertising like the UFC or Bellator — unless they are a major star — they frequently fall into obscurity about the regional/overseas circuit unless they stand up a few wins and end up signing with one of the aforementioned promotions. In this regular feature for MMAOddsBreaker.com, I take a peek at some regional/overseas MMA matchups for the month of February and instead of listing off the best fights outside these significant associations, I highlight some familiar names that you might recognize on forthcoming fight cards.
LFA 59 — Feb. 1 (Phoenix, Arizona)
David Michaud (14-4) vs. Christian Aguilera (11-5)
Former UFC lightweight Michaud seems to make it four straight wins when he faces Aguilera. Since he was discharged from the UFC at 2015, Michaud has gone 6-2 including a TKO win over Fernando Gonzalez Trevino in October. Aguilera meanwhile had his three-fight win streak snapped in his last bout as he lost a decision to Matthew Frincu at LFA 44. Aguilera will seem to prevent back-to-back losses for the first time because Mar. 2016. Editor’s note: Michaud defeated Aguilera via TKO at 4:14 of the first round.
TKO 46 — Feb. 8 (Quebec City, QC) — Matchup Moved To April
Jesse Ronson (20-8) vs. Charles Jourdain (8-1)
UFC veteran Ronson defends his lightweight title against present featherweight champion Jourdain. Ronson nearly needed a second stint at the UFC back in December because he took a short notice fight against Diego Ferreira. However the comission stated he would be cutting off too much weight and also his UFC contract had been recinded. The 33-year-old has won five-straight struggles. Jourdain meanwhile won the featherweight title defeating Alex Morgan by first-round entry at TKO 45 in December. He has won three-straight fights.
Cagesport 55 — Feb. 9 (Tacoma, Washington)
Anthony Hamilton (17-9) vs. Jared Torgeson (18-19) — Heavyweight name Former UFC heavyweight Hamilton aims to make it three-straight wins when he faces Torgeson. The 38-year-old is coming off a unanimous decision win over Dylan Potter at Dominate FC two in September. Torgeson meanwhile has dropped five of the last six fights. Editor’s note: Hamilton defeated Torgeson through three-round unanimous choice.
ACA 92: Poland — Feb. 15 (Warsaw, Poland)
Marcin Held (25-7) vs. Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov (15-2)
UFC veteran Held faces Abdulvakhabov at a lightweight bout. Held abandoned the UFC after defeating Nasrat Haqparast at UFC Fight Night 118 and has won back-to-back fights. Abdulvakhabov meanwhile is coming off a vast majority decision loss to Ali Bagov at ACB 89 in Aug, which snapped his 14-fight win streak.
Daniel Omiela??czuk (20-9-1) vs. Zelimkhan Umiev (11-2)
Former UFC light heavyweight Omielanczuk looks to prevent back-to-back losses when he faces Umiev. Omielanczuk lost three straight fights in the UFC to Stefan Struve, Tim Johnson and Curtis Blaydes until he was released in late 2017. Umiev meanwhile had his six-fight win streak snapped as he was completed in the first round by Evgeny Goncharov at WFCA 50 in August.
Luke Barnatt (14-6) vs. Jorge Gonzales (14-3)
UFC veteran Barnatt maintains in his third consecutive fight in the light heavyweight division when he faces Gonzalez. The 30-year-old is coming off a majority decision loss to Karol Celi??ski in ACB 88 which fell him to 2-2 in his last four fights. Gonzalez meanwhile heads into this battle on a five-fight win series.
Efrain Escudero (30-14) vs. Amirkhan Adaev (14-4)
TUF 8 champion Escudero seems to prevent back-to-back losses for the first time since Apr. 2016 when he faces Adev. Escudaro last competed to the Golden Boy MMA card where he chose to fellow UFC veteran Gleison Tibau. Adaev meanwhile has won three-straight and five of his past six overall heading into the fight.
Invicta FC 34 — Feb. 15 (Kansas City, Kansas)
Pearl Gonzalez (9-3) vs. Vanessa Porto (20-8) — Flyweight Title
Former UFC strawweight Gonzalez confronts Porto for the flyweight title in the main event of Invicta FC 34. The 32-year-old has remained undefeated since she had been released from the UFC in late 2017, going 3-0 with Invicta. Porto has won back fights however hasn’t fought since Jan. 2018.
Milana Dudieva (12-7) vs. Karina Rodriguez (6-3)
UFC veteran Dudieva looks to create it two-straight wins for the first time since Aug. 2014 when she faces short-notice replacement Rodriguez. Dudieva is coming off a TKO win over TUF 26’s Christina Marks at Invicta FC 28 which snapped her four-fight losing streak. Rodriguez meanwhile replaces Brogan Walker-Sanchez and looks to rally from her split decision loss to DeAnna Bennett in Invicta FC 28
DeAnna Bennett (9-4-1) vs. Miranda Maverick (4-1)
TUF 26’s Bennett looks to get back on the winning track against Maverick in a flyweight bout. The 34-year-old is coming off a loss to Women’s MMA pioneer Kelly Kobold in Tuff-N-Uff at September. Maverick meanwhile has won four of her last five struggles with her lone setback coming against Brogan Walker-Sanchez in Invicta FC 30 where she endured a split decision loss.
War at the Rock — Feb 16 (Hollywood, Florida)
Michel Quinones (8-3) vs. Yosdenis Cedeno (11-6-1)
A pair of UFC veterans struggle at a featherweight bout as Quinones confronts Cedeno. Quinones went 0-2 at the UFC with losses to Jared Gordon and Sage Northcutt. The 34-year-old fights for the very first since Nov. 2017. Cedeno meanwhile looks for two-straight wins for the first time since Oct. 2013 and is coming off a unanimous decision win over Pedro Gomes in Underground Cage Fighting Championship 1 in July.
Can there be a noteworthy MMA veteran competing this month that I missed? Or is there a matchup that has been changed? Hit me up on Twitter @LynchOnSports, and I’ll add it in or fix it up. Thanks.
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